I don’t get it – is it really just an omelette or possibly a quiche without the crust?
No, a frittata is completely different and should in no way be confused with the aforementioned!
Either way it makes for great comfort food on a cold day and is an excuse to have breakfast anytime of the day. Just throw a salad beside it and you can easily pass it off as dinner!
So “Frittata” is really just an Italian style omelette and not really all that different at all! Frittata actually means “to fry” in Italian and the word was originally just used to describe any dish cooked in a frying pan.
Fast forward to today and a Frittata is a gourmet dish!
The main difference really is that it is cooked whole in a pan and not flipped and like a quiche it is often made in a large enough quantity to feed more than one person as it can be cut into wedges.
It is typically cooked on the stove long enough to set the bottom and then either flipped (if one is really brave and not afraid of pieces of burnt zucchini trapped in the coils of the electric stove) or finished in the oven to cook through all the way.
Ham, Leek & Zucchini Frittata
So “Frittata” is really just an Italian style omelette and not really all that different at all! Frittata actually means “to fry” in Italian and the word was originally just used to describe any dish cooked in a frying pan.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 oz smoked Black Forest ham (about 5 slices), chopped
8 eggs
1/2 cup 10% cream
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Pinch ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F .
- In 9- to 10-inch (23 to 25 cm) nonstick ovenproof frying pan, melt half of the butter over medium heat.
- Cook leek for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened. Add zucchini and ham; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until zucchini is tender-crisp.
- In bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add vegetable-ham mixture; stir in half of the cheese.
- Return pan to stove over medium heat; melt remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter. Pour in egg mixture; cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until edges begin to set. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) cheese. Bake in centre of oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and set in middle.
- Transfer to cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Run a rubber spatula around edge to loosen; slide frittata onto cutting board. Cut into wedges.
